The Kevin Sheehan Show - Another A+ For Chase

Episode Date: December 30, 2020

Cooley and Kevin today with Cooley's defensive "film breakdown" on the defense against Carolina. More too including the latest on Haskins.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don't want it. You don't need it. But you're going to get it anyway. The Kevin Cheon Show. Here's Kevin. If you miss Cooley's offensive film breakdown from yesterday, I would urge you to go back and listen to it. Dwayne Haskins wasn't the only F grade.

And he wasn't the only F grade among players. There was also an F grade among the coaching staff. Go listen to it. It was pretty good. He'll have his defensive film breakdown today. I wanted to just start with this. Actually, you made me aware of something right before we started to record this podcast. I guess we can start with this.

Dan Lebitard, apparently admitting that his show all those years, I don't even know how long Dan Lebitard's had this show on ESPN, where he has like a cast and he claims to be... It's called highly questionable. Is that what it's called? I know that he's got the Cuban father, and I'm assuming he's from Cuban descent as well. Well, apparently all that was made up.

and the guy that played his Cuban father, who was kind of the funny guy on the show, was made up. He was Doug from Des Moines, and he was just an actor. And Levitard's coming clean with all of this today. I don't know if this is a bit from him or not. It's hilarious.

Yeah. Did you watch the show? Doug from Des Moines should have an Oscar, if that's not really his father. Right. He did a great job. Do you watch that show? I used to like the show.

I actually really used to like that show. It's been a while since it's been on, right? I haven't watched a lot of ESPN lately, so I don't know. I did like that show. I liked it because I thought the dad was hysterical. It was a radio show, too. I mean, I don't know if that show was a radio show, but Levitard had a radio show. You know, somebody said to me, this is like a year ago.

I'm just reminded of this. they said to me, Sheehan, you know less about your industry than anybody I've listened to on the air. And I don't know if that's true or not. You know, I know a lot about the business part of the industry. I keep up with that. But I am not a big consumer of a lot of these products. There are things that I really like that I watch and I listen to. And then the rest of it just sort of blends together for me and has for years.

And, you know, Cooley, maybe it's the same way people feel about talk radio. Although I think local sports talk radio has always had a different setting, a different niche, and more than the national stuff. But the national stuff, like to me, I cannot tell you who hosts what SportsCenter show at what time on ESPN or what any of these shows are or who's involved in them. I mean, I turn it on and I know Stephen A's show, first take, you know, with Max Kellerman. I obviously know Scott's Sports Center show, which I think is fantastic. And Scott has been my best friend for 30 plus years, obviously I know that.

I know PTI because I know Tony and Mike, and I've always been a fan of that show, even though I don't watch it a lot because of the time that it's on. But all of this other stuff, I really don't pay attention to it. I don't really consume it. That's true. I mean, I don't. There's only one national radio sports show that I listen to on occasion, and that's Mad Dog. It's the only one.

You love Mad Dog. I do. I've always loved Mad Dog. I thought that Mike and the Mad Dog, well, they are the gold standard in terms of what we do, or what I've been doing for years. They're the gold standard, and nobody's ever come close to them, and I'm not sure anybody ever will. The two of them together, and I don't listen to Mike by himself over the years since Ruth's, so left him back in 2008, 2009, whatever that year was on Sirius XM.

But I don't, I know a lot of you really consume a lot of this stuff. I don't. First of all, I'm on the air and we're producing shit here. By the way, there are a couple of people that complain that we curse too much. I think we did a lot yesterday for some reason. So we'll try to cut back on it. I don't really, I don't feel the need to. It's just sort of the way we converse with one another.

It's always been that way off the air. Maybe we can try to improve. But anyway, the shows that I've done, the more recent show with you and then by myself, you know, I can't watch anything when I'm doing a radio show. And when we've been doing this podcast, I'm not watching any of the other stuff. I don't go home and watch, you know, ESP. or Fox Sports or CBS, whatever other networks there are. I will listen to our station.

You know, I'll listen to Galdi if he's still on by the time I get done. Usually he's off. And, you know, and Brian and Doc and Zabe over the years, obviously, I've consumed our station and our market more than anything else because it's the most helpful thing to prepare for the next day's show more times than not. I don't know. Maybe I should follow it more closely. person. I don't follow it very closely. Well, I know you don't. I just watch games. I watch games. That's

what I do. I watch games. I really don't care what other people have to say about games. And that's funny because that's what we're doing right now. I know. Like I sit there, I totally feel the same way and yet I'm sure people are like, who the hell cares what you guys think? I mean, People probably think what you think and care about what you believe, you know, you analyze. But I understand all that. Look, this is a very, it's a very interesting thing. This guy, Trog Keller, who has been the president of ESPN Radio for many years. And I believe Trog is still in that position.

And I was introduced to Trog through Scott and through Tony a few years back. And I'll never forget something he said to me. He said, the relationship, between the local sports talk radio host and his or her audience is the most intimate and the most leverageable in all of sports broadcasting. And you know, you and I've had these conversations before.

I get it. I understand that. And I'm not necessarily saying it's you with this podcast or you with the radio shows that I've been involved in or Cooley's been involved in. But I know a lot of you are incredibly loyal and it's much appreciated. And I hope we've made that clear over the years. But I remember when he said that to me, I was like, that makes sense to me because national shows don't, if you're in a local market with a lot of local big time teams and D.C. has enough big time teams.

And you're a fan of those teams, you're going to listen to that local person. And that person, if you like that person and listen to that show, it becomes a lot. part of your routine much more than national shows do and much more than say like a play by play guy who you tune in and listen to maybe once every couple of weeks. This is every day, three hours a day on radio, so we did a four hour show, you know, an hour and a half on average on a podcast, and it's much more intimate. It's, we're, the hosts are more exposed, and there's definitely a more of a relationship

that I think that develops between the host and the listener than in other formats and in other sports mediums. I understand that. And when he said that, I remember thinking to myself, I get that. Of course, many of the managers that we've worked for and even salespeople have never understood that enough. But whatever.

I don't know how we get sidetracked on this. Oh, I didn't, I don't really, I didn't really watch the Levitard show that much. Was it good? Yeah, it was funny.

It was a little half-hour show. Okay. I'll tell you the show that I, I don't like that show. I don't, I'm, this is bad, I don't know the name of it,

but it's the show that comes on before PTI. I don't like that show. And with all the bubbles of people. Yes. So here's why I think I like the Levitart show and why I hate that show. They weren't taking themselves so seriously on the Lebitard show. Right. They had little bits.

Are the bills a contender for the Super Bowl? And then they would just hold up a sign that says see or no. They don't have to go into explaining 10 reasons that they don't really understand. Right. And then somebody's thing, oh, you get a point because you said something smart about the bills. Like, okay, cool. You know, I liked it because it was fun talk about sports, but that's all it was. Right.

It wasn't, I'm so smart talking about sports. Yeah. I don't know. I think that's the problem. I just, I hate the role that I'm in. the over-analizing of sports. Yeah, but you know what? It's the one thing, and I had a conversation with somebody about this the other day,

with our new ownership group. It's a very subjective thing, what we do. And this is why I don't get wrapped up into what people say or what they think about it. I know, you know, there are days when I leave. I'm like, I think that was a really good show. I hope people enjoyed it. And there are definitely days when you do as many as you do during the course of the year, where I'm like, I think that sucked.

And then I find out that people actually enjoyed it even more. Or a show that I really liked, people are like, oh, that sucked today. It's a very subjective thing, bottom line. I bet if I consumed more, I would find more that I like. But I don't really. My attention's more on, you know, what do I like A and B, what's going to help me prepare for next day's show? because when you do normally watching games you watch the thing that helps you prepare yeah that or you know listening to other local shows and following other local you know new stories you know i'll read a lot i think

there are a lot of people here locally that write well. And, you know, I love what Ben's become. I think Ben, once he got on the Skins Beat, has become really good. I mean, he writes a lot. And he's actually become a really good radio and podcast guest. I'm a fan of JPs. I think he does a good job. I really like, I'll tell you what, I'll just, I'll mention her. I think Nikki Javala, who's the new Skins Beat reporter for the Post, is as good as they've had doing this in a lot. long time. Like I'd go back to Mike Jones. Like Mike was really good at it too. And I'm sure I'm forgetting other people that I really like John Kime. Obviously, I like a lot. So that's where most of my, if I'm going to, if I'm going to think about work, I'm going to consume those things,

not some national ESPN or Fox Sports Show. Yeah, I hear you. I like Van Pelt. Well, Scott's, I think he's the best at what he does. Well, you're friends. It's your friend. Yeah, I think he's as good as anybody at what he does. No, he's incredible at what he does. But again, I think that's the way I would rather consume it with somebody that maybe doesn't overanalyze things, but has some fun segments and some fun bits. Right.

Yeah. Right? Yeah. I mean, that's, and that's what SportsCenter used to be. That's all ESPN used to be. It was 90% SportsCenter. and it was Van Pelt and Berman and Kenny Maine was hysterical. Boo-ya!

I mean, all this stuff, Stuart Scott. And then it slowly became this overly critical, overly analyzing network with so many people that are experts. Some are good. And they also do fun things. You know one of the things that I think is amazing on ESPN, and they don't show it that much on the television is all the Peyton Manning stuff. Love that stuff.

The tour that he's went on over the last two years. His film stuff is exceptional. If you want to enjoy somebody talking about a game, which is what this is actually hysterical for me, it's so highly produced and so well done. and he breaks down like 30 to 35 plays on a quarterback in any given week. I don't know if he, I don't think he did it this year.

He did it last year. But it's, it was hysterical to me because I had told like seven people before anyone had really done this. If you could produce this to some extent and show snippets of other things that I'm talking about or other references as you're going along watching the film, this is a consumable 30 minutes of television. I was like, no one's going to watch film for 30 minutes. No, no, no.

Watch the Peyton Manning film breakdowns. They're excellent. Well, look, I'm, this, I've said this to you before. When you came on the radio station back in whatever year that was, I think it was 2013, right? It was the year after the RG3, 2012 season. I'm pretty sure it was 2013. It may have been 2014. When you came on the radio station and you didn't even want to do.

do a talk show. You just wanted to do the games, but it became part of your deal with the radio station to do a talk show. And they put you on with Zabe and with Galdi, and it was a very good show. I immediately, and you know this, I immediately became a fan because I thought that you were doing some stuff that was really, like, unique. And, you know, we had and have had a lot of ex-players on in the market before on Sports Talk Radio, but nobody approached. it the way you did. And they all had their strengths, but your strength really was like we were going to sit there and we were going to learn. Now, I'm not saying that your sense of humor and having fun wasn't a part of it, you know, on that show and on the show we did as well. But really, you know,

again, this is a subjective thing. But the thing that I hear more than anything else, when people refer to you or to the show we did together or the show you did with Zay, Bengaldi is how much they learn from you more than anybody else in the market. And I think that that was 100% true. And then when you started the film breakdown thing where you were grading every player from the game, no one had done that. Nobody had done that. And it was really, by the way, it also coincided with a couple of terrible seasons.

And this is going to go back to things that I've told you guys before. that even when they had terrible years, it wasn't always the worst thing for us. Winning would have been better for us and will always be better for us if they win. We know that from other markets like Boston where the ratings soar. They're through the roof because they've had winners in that market. If we had the same level of winning in this market, it would have been much better for all of us. But when you started that film breakdown, part of the entertainment value was how you were like, oh, my God, Robert Griffin, the third.

I can't even evaluate his game today or evaluate the offense because he was so bad. Like that stuff, we really, we didn't understand that. And I think it was really great. I think it's great on the podcast, too, and I hear that from everybody. But anyway, whatever. Did you have anything else to say about this? Because I want to get to one thing before we get to your defensive film breakdown. No, I don't.

I don't. I just, I think it's interesting that I do something. And I know that I do it differently because everything in my life has to be done differently. And I know that this is what I'm doing is unique to me. And more and more people are doing it. And more and more people are trying to do it. But I, you know, why I started doing the film breakdown. I forget why.

Because I was not more than a year out. And I didn't know what was going on in the game. As I was calling the game, it was hard to see it and hard to remember it. in that first year I didn't have any access besides the all 22 which was maybe the first year the all 22 had come out right and I sat there and watched it and that was when you had the 10 second rewind was the only way he could do it so you'd sit there for like five hours 10 second rewind watch the whole thing again 10 second rewind whole thing again but I did it because I really wasn't I was talking about the game and the three hour radio show and I didn't believe what I was saying I was was becoming the current host that I know the current former player analysts that you talk about that become cliched because you're saying things that you know fit and they're not wrong a lot of the time but you don't know exactly what happened so I started just watching every game on film well and that made you different because you know going back for as long as we've known each other

I would say to you, I mean, as some, like I've always felt if you bet sports, you actually have a completely different perspective than those that don't bet it. I've always felt that way. I've mentioned that many times and giving you reasons why. And I can tell you that a lot of us that have bet sports over the years have looked at the so-called experts, you know, that are talking about and previewing games and picking games and we're like, oh my God, that dude doesn't know anything. He played the game for years or he coached the game for years, and he's 100% wrong. But, you know, it's just a different perspective. And then you took it to a level of really explaining what was going on in the game and really having an understanding for it. And then being open-minded enough to consider the whole betting perspective and why your analysis sometimes didn't equal an accurate. preview to a game. You know what I mean? Like, I can remember one of the first conversations we had because you loved the smell test from the beginning. And you were like so into it. And you're like, good God. I mean, I would have thought that that game would have been totally different. And,

and you were right about this game. And why is that? And I, and I'm like, I don't know why it is. That's the point. I don't know. Smart in Vegas. Yeah. The people there know. But I just, I just know that I and people like me don't know, and I just go against all of us. And anyway, whatever. I wanted to just mention something about Dwayne Haskins before we get started on your defensive film breakdown and anything else that we want to get into. So Adam Schaefter put out a tweet yesterday when the period of time to claim Dwayne Haskins off of waivers had come and gone.

And Schaefter tweeted out that Haskins went unclaimed on waivers. and he said he's now free to sign wherever there's interest, and Schefter reported that there are teams that already have expressed some interest per a source. By the way, to those that said that I said he was going to be claimed off waivers, I didn't say that. I said, I think he's going to get another chance in the league. I did not think he would be claimed off waivers because claiming them off waivers claims his contract too, and nobody wants that.

but let me just mention that I had a couple of conversations last night. I just want, Dwayne's not in a good place right now, you know, obviously. I think that he, you know, may be coming to grips that his career and all that he assumed that would come with a professional career is very much in peril, very much in jeopardy. I think there's also an understanding from what I've been told that, you know, in looking for another opportunity, it's not going to be easy because of all of the quarterbacks that are going to be available in the offseason and in the draft. I think he'll get another chance somewhere. It's not going to be as a starter.

There's no chance on that. But, you know, I wanted to just mention the following thing because I think sometimes, you know, you get carried away and I put myself into this, you know, group of people to get carried away with young people. And I know that he's an adult and he's made a lot of money and all that. But let's be honest, what we've learned about Haskins is that he relies on, you know, the need for validation, outside validation. You know, we've talked about his social media stuff. Some of you mocked us for it, whatever. He was always, you know, retweeting positive things and not negative things. and, you know, he was much more interested in sort of the way he was viewed as a brand, and not so much as we discussed yesterday that his ultimate goal should have just been to become good at football,

which is the way you described it yesterday, which is 100% spot on. You know, but he's not unique, and I don't want to make this just about a younger generation, but it's my experience. You know, it typically is younger people who are so consumed with social, media and using social media's response to those young people as a way to feel good about themselves, like a way to validate themselves. And, you know, their mood swings based on what they read on social media. And I think Dwayne's immaturity, you know, which everybody's referred to, you know, there's a lot of that involved. And we saw that, you know. I just hope, man, I hope he figures it out.

And I hope he understands that he's not the only 22 or 23-year-old that, you know, needs like this outside validation from people he doesn't even know, you know, to somehow make him validated. He needs to do that. The only people he should be concerned with are how he feels about himself and about how his coaches feel about him. Those are the only people, you know, and his loved ones, obviously. Those are the people that matter. And, you know, I can imagine right now is a very, very difficult time for him. Think about all that he thought he was on the verge of becoming. The league done messed up.

Don't be a fan later. You know, all of these things. You know, we went through this with RG3. This is the second time for this market going through it with a quarter. But there's a big difference, right? RG3 actually performed on the field. He was the rookie of the year. He was a star for a six-month period.

period. Dwayne didn't even get to enjoy that. But I don't know the advice you give to somebody about how to grow up, but you certainly, somebody has to get through to him that the only goal is being good at football and the only people who matter when it comes to being good at football are the people that employ him and coach him. And that's it. All the other stuff doesn't matter at all. Like we talked about yesterday, Cooley, like how much money is he really going to make off the Kingdom of Pride

clothing line? How much was, you know, a new roles or a new Bentley with embroidered Kingdom of Pride clothing line branding in the seats really going to bring him? Like that stuff just it's peanuts compared

to if he becomes good at football what he will make. Well, the thing is is kingdom of pride is going to make him way more once he's really good at football. Right. Maybe. Maybe not. I bet it still ends up being a tiny fraction of what he could have made playing football and maybe what he still will make. Here, the net of it is, God, I hope he's okay, and I hope he gets through this, and I hope it's a great learning experience, and he's got the thick skin and the toughness to bounce back and the resilience to bounce back. And

and get another chance and prove it the next time he gets another chance. I think everyone hopes that for him. I hope he gets what he works for, Kev. I hope he learns how to work for it and he figures it out. I do. Everyone does. But one other thing? No one's rooting against the kid to have success in life.

I don't know about that. One other thing, this is not the team's fault, okay? It's not the team's fault. This is not the media's fault. It's not the player's fault. it's not the team's fault. If you want to put some of the blame on Dan Snyder, absolutely. I totally am on board with that.

But really at the end of the day, even if he got drafted into a difficult situation, he could have changed the way it turned out. He had that power to do that. You know, we heard for multiple years about Griffin, right? That it was the fans, it was the media, it was the team. No, it was him. It was him. multiple other teams and coaching staffs validated that it was him.

And this is the second coaching staff for Dwayne. So it's him more than it's anything else. But anyway, I hope it turns out well for him. All right. We'll get to Cooley's Defensive Film Breakdown right after this word from one of our sponsors. All right, Cooley's Film Breakdown, brought to you by My Bookie today. Every sports fan knows that it's not about how you start the season. about how you finish.

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finished slowly. This year started slowly finishing quickly. I may have, by the way, a bull pick at the very end of this show today. Sign up at mybooky.ag right now, and they will match your deposit halfway up to $1,000. And while you're at it, you can ring the holidays in with a bunch of giveaway opportunities. MyBooky's hooking players up with free bets, casino chips, blackjack tournaments, huge cash prizes, and it's all week long. To get in on the action, it's simple.

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The Cooley Film Breakdown. Here's Cooley and Kevin. All right, the defense gave up 14 points on Sunday to the Panthers. We've already had a conversation about how we both felt it played. I felt it wasn't as good as you thought it was. Upon further review with the film breakdown, how bad or how good was the defense on Sunday? It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible. They found ways to make plays when they had to make plays.

I think that's a key part. giving up more points than they did. They absolutely could have. But it wasn't as bad, I think, as you thought it was. The other thing is a defense right now that's got to play Michael Kendrix for eight plays, how long has he been here? Colleague Hudson's going to play 17 plays in this game. Jeremy Reeves was not going to play or start at safety at the beginning portion of this year.

I don't think that they envisioned Cameron Curl being a starting strong safety at any point. in this season. They're playing with a lot of pieces that weren't even part of the defense to start the season. You know, they've had great health up front and up front's where they're still getting it done. But there's a lot of guys that are just new guys, new faces. Right.

So I think there's something to that. Okay. They also, you know, there were situations where they gave some things up. but they found ways to make plays. There were also situations where they should have had better opportunities. Like, my gosh, you get a Bridgewater scramble in a third down situation and balls knocked out. They actually knock it forward instead of knocking it backwards. I mean, the luck of the bounce around.

And then Carolina gets that thing. That would have been incredibly helpful. Yeah. Now that Davis fumbled, that was an absolute fumble that Cam Curl punches out on that play, there's no doubt in my mind that that's a problem. phone, but that should have never been ruled dead. Come on with that. You don't need to rule that play dead.

He wasn't being held up and getting to take a bunch of hits. He was still moving forward. So I don't know if Reeves scores on that play. He does a nice job of scooping. Carolina stops as the play. Yeah, exactly. Hear the whistle's blown. So I don't know if it's a true scoop and score situation.

But it might be, you know, and the defense scores again. You got another opportunity. So I didn't think it was the absolute worst, if you want to put it in that fashion. I didn't think it was terrible. I just thought that the run defense was concerning. Yeah, I mean, the problem I saw with the run defense was, I think it was until the fourth quarter that they actually ended up with a tackle for loss. There were a couple plays that they got gashed on, like the Samuel run, which we'll talk about. that they got gashed on, but there wasn't a ton of big runs,

three, four, five-yard runs. Right. More of them than not. I just, if you don't want to get run on, get a tackle for no gain or a tackle for loss on one of those drives. And I think that that's going to be super impactful. It was the second to last drive, or it was really the last drive that Chase Young blew up field on a toss-type play,

got inside the receiver trying to crack block him. Duran Payne scoots down the line of scrimmage. You got a two-yard loss. Ends up being a third and 12. They run the ball the next play, and they stop that. But that's how you stop the run play. It's like, get one tackle for loss type of play. The other thing in looking at it, like, Bostick is not a great inside linebacker.

We understand that. But he's slow to fit. He is struggling with getting off block. and avoiding and where to avoid. Same as Cleek Hudson in this game. And if you want to get some of these tackles for loss, you got to hit those holes as linebackers. And there was the fumble, the Davis fumble,

it was a run blitz. Bostick's definitely on a blitz on that play. And all of a sudden, boom, he's in the backfield, two yards deep. I think if they want to stop the run, they don't have to go with that five-man front, but they just have to take some more risks as far as maybe playing one level,

guy in coverage. The other thing is I would not zone drop Ryan Carrigan. Like in some of those, they sound dropped him a couple times. Like, I'm just going to bring five. I like Del Rio bringing five in first and second down situations. I do. I think that's a better

way to stop the run is to bring Bostic. So, you know, there's some of that stuff. A couple other things I thought was interesting in this game defensively before we get to the actual guys what in the world is Stephen Sims Jr. doing fielding that punt that he fumbled? They're in safe punt. The defense is on the field.

There's nobody blocking for him. There's no return set up. They're in safe punt. I didn't even know that. You got the defense out on the field. The starting defense is on the field. Just fair catch that punt. right.

Jeez. Like, neither corner, Darby or Fuller, get a block on the gunners on the edge, but that's not their job. I mean, they're attempting. So he's got two Carolina Panthers right in his face as he's going to catch. Even if he catches, he's getting hit in the mouth. What's he doing, filling that punt? I don't know.

I don't know. I was just watching the film and as it rolls through. I mean, you watch the all 22. It rolls through. You get to the fourth down. And I just thought, I'm just going to sit here and watch this punt. I'm watching it. I'm like, this guy's a moron.

Jesus. So that was a thought. I mean, that killed them in the game. That was a huge momentum swing. A massive tone setter for the rest of the game. I mean, that was their third stop in a row. Well, it was. Drive came on a, they got a fourth down stop.

They were fine right there. And then Carolina scored on their next two positions. Yeah. For having a backup left tackle in the game and then a third string, they sure ran a lot of games and stunts. They sure had Chase Young inside. They actually had a four down front and a third down situation where they lined up

Young over the guard in Montez Sweat on the same side and Payne and Allen on the opposite side. Why did they do that? Chase Young gets doubled by three guys inside. Why will his play to force the interception? Was that really an interception, by the way? Did that ball actually come out forward? Yeah.

looked like a fumble. Oh, the curl play? Yeah. The Chase Young, I would want that to be a sack fumble. I thought that that was an intercept. It's a turnover. It doesn't really matter. But that play and then the sack fumble play, those both come off free edge rushes by Chase Young.

Right. The other sack that they get in the game, one of the other sacks, Montez Sweat, straight edge rush against their left tackle. Yeah. you're getting a little cute with some of the stunts and all the stuff moving around when you don't need to do that. When your guys can just beat the third string left tackle. Yeah, or the second string left tackle. You didn't need to do that. And so that's something that I found interesting.

They got more out of that into the later part of the game, but I didn't get it. I don't get that. I'm watching the Sims. on the all 22 punt return. Yeah, this is not a punt. They don't have a punt return set up. So I don't know why he's fielding it. But the reaction from him afterwards is like all of his other reactions.

I just, I don't see a guy, and it's really, this is major projecting. I just don't see a guy that realizes that his team's on the verge of potentially clinching a division and going to the playoffs. Can't stand that, dude. And if I don't have a guy out there that knows what the stakes are and is playing to that level, I'm not putting him out there. I told you this yesterday or the day before. If he is back on a punt return on Sunday night, and they lose because of it, it is on them. Are you going to call someone?

Are you going to make a call? Are you going to write a letter? I'm going to write a letter. I'm going to write a letter. I'm going to write a letter to Ron Rivera. Seriously, that would be the dumbest. One of the dumbest things they could do is have Stephen Simmy, back fielding a punt on Sunday night football

against the Eagles. This guy doesn't want any part of it. So put Isaiah right back there. You wanted some part of it because the guy that didn't want any part of it, the fucking fair caught it. I mean, it was, it was not there was no punt return on this thing set up. No part return at all.

That's what I'm saying. It's the safe It's defense up there. It says that the guy's head isn't in the game. He didn't even know it was called. He didn't say that. It does say that, doesn't it? Yeah, he doesn't know it was called. doesn't have his head in the game. And then after they score the touchdown,

he just doesn't even look that concerned about it. Eh, okay. Well, they scored. I don't really want to be back there on points anyway. I just want to catch passes. Yeah, well, he doesn't do that all the time either. I just want to try to catch more passes. Sorry, let me raise that.

All right. All right, let me give you one more thing here. One more thing. I want to see if you can figure this out with me. their third touchdown. It comes off a third and 16 conversion down the middle of the field that Jeremy Reeves gives up as a single high safety. They then get to a third and seven situation.

It's in the second quarter, anybody that wants to follow this along. Second quarter to third and seven at the Washington 14. It's three minutes and 12 seconds left in the second quarter. they line up in a three wide receiver set to the right with the back to the right they flip the back to the left no one moves so you're in what looks like a zone coverage but everybody's matching in this zone coverage Robbie Anderson runs across the middle and nobody accounts for him no you know as you watch the play Holcomb goes hard out to the flat

Fuller carries vertical with the receiver to the left. And there's nobody in the middle of the field. Now, Bostick turned and ran hard with the seam down the middle. And I'm thinking he's running hard like he's a covered two player, like a Tampa two player carrying the seam. The only player who seems out of place here begins on the three wide receiver side over Robbie Anderson. It's Jimmy Morland. He's just dropping back to no man.

land. So let the whole play play out. And then watch Reeves look back and I think he looks back at Jimmy Morland. I'm watching him. Hold on. He's pointing back at somebody.

Yeah, he is. Like, and I've followed this like nine times. It's moreland. It's got to be Morland had to trail there. Yeah. It's Morland. Morland is the slot corner here, right? he is on Anderson and he just drops back into the end zone he's got the he's got the wrong defensive call obviously what's he doing don't know at all what he's doing some this is one of

those ones where it's but it's hard to grade this I think it's Morland I mean look it's third and seven I mean they're at the 14 they can get a first down you're trying to stop him from the first down Morland's into the end zone near nobody he's near nobody he's near nobody. It looks like they're playing two-man. It looks like they're playing a cover-two man look. But neither of the safeties are really bracketing the receivers. So they're not, it's not really a two-man.

It's like a two-man bracket where your safeties are bracketing two of the receivers. So you've doubled two receivers, dropped one guy to no man's land, turned Robbie Anderson completely free. This happens. Reeves could be talking to Bostick. Yeah, follow where he's looking. He's looking at Bostick. He's not looking at, is he looking at Bostick?

Yeah, he's looking at Bostick. It would make sense that Bostick would have to go with that. But here's my problem. The receiver running vertical DJ Moore down the middle of the field is not going to get covered by Reeves if Bostick doesn't run with it. him. So he would be what you would consider number three, DJ Moore, running vertical down the

hatch. I see him. There's no way that Reeves can cover this with the outside leverage that he is presented to Teddy Bridgewater and to DJ Moore. He is two yards outside of this vertical running seam. And on the other side, the tight safety is Cameron Curl, who is not going to be able to fall back into this. It's a touchdown either way.

If Bostic doesn't carry that, it's, it's, he's throwing it. Right. I mean, it, it, so the thing is, is it, it looks like quarters initially with the shell, but Jimmy Morland would not be dropping back to the, I don't know what they're, I don't know. These are one of the fun, when there's a bust, it's fun. And I think coaching staffs go through this a lot of times like, okay, what are we going to, what are we going to classify this as how are we going to, how are we going to label this coverage? What are we going to see when we get down inside the 20 yard line between the 15 or 20?

What are they going to play? This would be like quarters question mark. 44 question. I mean, they have five receivers out, including the back, including Davis, who comes out of the backfield. Sure. You know, Del Rio's been a big blitzer in the red zone. Not here.

Rush four. Yeah, rush for blown coverage. They've also been a team that hasn't blitzers. own a lot of coverages. Right. This is, this is a drive. This drive was a dagger drive.

It was a dagger drive. It really was because you had them in a third and 16 after a sack by Holcomb. Right. That was really Chase Young sack. I mean, it was Holcomb sack, but Chase Young made the play. The third and 16 is ugly, you know, on this dagger drive. Reeves is, they're playing cover three. and the receiver's running down the middle of the field.

And Reeves is splitting the two outside receivers. You're like, who are you planning on covering there, pal? You give up a third and 16 and you blow a coverage on a third and seven. That's to me the dagger drive. And we can get to the film breakdown right now. All right. You're going to start with the D-line? Sure.

Let's start with Chase Young. Okay. He was awesome. his last two games have been outstanding. He's been outstanding in all, but I think, four games this season. And those four games weren't D performed. I think there was one D for Chase Young this year.

But most part, it's been A's and B's with a couple seasons. He's been really good this year. Great. He really is. I mean, you're trying to double team him on the edge with tight end and tackle. They're running zone at him. He's splitting that. And then he's

pushing the tackle back into the backfield and he's forcing cutbacks. And it's just like, this guy's hard to block, man. He's got some power. He's elusive. You know, a little bit slippery. He knows where

the ball's going to hit. He's a really smart football player. That's the thing I've noticed. I think I said this in week six or seven. A guy knows where the ball's going to hit. He should take some more risks. He started to take some more risks. Yeah. And I like that. Like there's a first down and six down by the goal line. And they try to block with the tight end coming from the backside. And I've done that block so many times. The only thing you don't want is for them to wrong arm,

turn their shoulder, dip inside of you. That makes it hard as hell. And Dians don't do that very often. It's wild. They'll go up the field or they'll sit there and wait on you. And And you're like, thank you. But when they do crash hard like that, it's a mother. Look at that tackle. He just swallows people. So does pain. That's the thing I've noticed about the two of them is that when they tackle,

like there's no chance for any runner to go forward after they have tackled them. They're not going to get carried for an extra yard or two. The guy is going down immediately or backwards? Yeah, he is. He engulfs people. Oh, my God. I don't know if I've seen him miss a tackle this year. By the way, for those of you that are wondering if he could be the defensive player of the year, that's not going to happen.

T.J. Watt, Aaron Donald, one of those two players. He is a lock now, in my opinion, and he's the favorite to win the defensive rookie of the year, which would be the first in Washington's history to have a defensive rookie of the year. They've had three offensive rookie of the years. Robert Griffin, the third, Mike Thomas, and Charlie Taylor. They've never had a defensive rookie of the year. They're going to have one this year. Yeah, they're going to have one this year.

I mean, he's just, he's explosive, man. We just talked about that Holcomb sack. Yeah. The Holcomb sack that preceded the third and 16. Chase Young is on a stunt inside the tackle, and Holcomb's coming off the outside edge. The tackle barely even touches Young. He gets his numbers down, he's low,

and really the only thing the tackle does was by touching him is propel him at Bridgewater. He doesn't get Bridgewater, but Teddy has literally nowhere to go. I mean, just that play in general. Watch his length. Watch his first two or three steps, vertical up to, like his big, open, hard stuff inside, plan off his right and push.

Just gain so much ground so quickly. Oh, my God. The Holcomb sack. I mean, he is there in less than two seconds young. I mean, it. One, one thousand. Yeah, a second and a half. he's in Teddy Bridge Rodder's face.

The tackle who barely touches him. Get it, it's a backup tackle. But my God, like that big open step, like it was a stunt. Yeah, it is a stunt. He just, his plant off his right foot, it's his left foot steps more than a full yard gaining ground. And he's athletic enough that that doesn't slow him down even an instant. Chris, how often do they line him up left side versus right side?

He's on the defensive right side, I would say 75 to 80% of the time. Okay. Because he will line up at the left end spot occasionally too. Yeah, on occasion, he does. But more times than not, he's on the defensive right side. But that play in general, you watch that freak right there. Jeez. A sack on an interception is huge.

It's not a sack. I guess it's a tip ball is what you'd call. that, right? Tip ball? Yep. That's a sack, dude. He should get a sack for that. That was a big time play in that game, though.

Not even going to hardly get stats for it. The sack fumble was outstanding, just to speed with a rip brush. I mean, it's just great. And then I love guys that just know, get the ball out. Like that to me, I feel like you have to be good enough to have had a bunch of sacks in your career before you just say, a sack's not good enough. Let me get the ball out.

And you get the ball out and it is a sack. That's the difference between really good guys, really good pass rushers and then the elite ones, the ones that say, not only am I going to get there, but we're going to have the ball when the play is over. I'm going to take the ball from them. And that's also the difference between teams that win and teams that lose in the NFL when you can take the ball from them.

By the way, I sort of agree with you on this curl interception. There is, I mean, his arm, I don't think his arm ever goes forward. I think it's a fumble. It's just like the Dwayne fumble early in the game. Yeah, but this one, I don't even know, to be honest with you, I don't even know how it got up into the air. Here's my question to you.

That ball hits the ground. Is it going to be ruled a fumble? Well, it almost from on the all 22 end zone camera looks like, It does hit the ground and bounces up and curl picks it off. It's a weird angle to watch the play. But Young completely stops the forward motion of the arm. And, you know, this is one of those. I need to go back to the TV copy, really.

But like I've got it freeze-framed right as Young knocks it. And that arm just does not seem to come forward with the ball in the hand. But then again, I don't know how it got to curl down field. So I don't know. Whatever. But to think of how massive that play was. Oh, it's huge. Because they're going to score there.

Yeah, they're already in, it's a first, it's a, it's a first and 10 in Washington's territory. They're on the move. It's another drive for them. Yeah, there's 21 seconds left. The ball's at the 40 yard line. They're going to score there. Yeah.

Likely. I just, I don't, if I was Chase Young, I would say that's, there's no way that that's forward pass give me another sack i guess i mean maybe he just it looks like he throws it we'll watch the tv copy on that maybe hits his arm yeah and he keeps the ball on his hand still though that said you see a guy that knows how to go for the ball and it's almost like in this world that we live in the NFL and in this instance he has to go for the ball he can't hit bridgewater's body he's getting enough. But in this world in the NFL, you almost want to hit the ball versus the player because you don't want the penalty. Right. Right. Yeah. The next play after the sack fumble, the next

possession, there's a little toss play, and they're trying to crack him with the receiver. That's the dumbest play call by Carolina all day. You can't crack Chase Young with the receiver. Which point was this? It's the next drive after the interception. Oh, okay. It's the first down on the next drive. You can pull this play up, too, if you're following along. And I suggest everyone, like, all 22, if you watch the NFL, if you're listening to this podcast, you watch the NFL.

It's so worth it. You go back and watch condensed games, everything. It's incredible. Right. Yeah, I can put this on my TV. Like, I watch this film on an 85-inch television. It's great. I wish they made this available for college film.

But yeah, follow along when you do this. I mean, the next play, God, it's just unbelievable. Or maybe it's the second and eight. Let me see, let me see, let me pull it. I'm on the first and ten. You're saying, yeah, it's the second and eight. They're trying to crack him with an extended tight end. Sorry.

It's the second and eight, the next play. Young is so fast up the field. and he looks right before the snap. He feels that tight in extended from him just a little bit. I'm on the wrong drive here. I don't know what play you're talking about. What's the result? The second nine in the fourth quarter.

Fourth quarter? Yeah. Oh, you were saying was the first drive after the interception. My fault. Okay, yeah. That is not your fault. That is absolutely my fault. So where was the second nine with three minutes and 27 seconds.

in the game. He is so fast up the field. I mean, misses a tackle six yards deep, but it changes the course of this play immensely. And then Payne ends up making a tackle for lost three yards down behind the line of scrimmage. God,

he's just amazing. This guy, if you have any questions, if you have any questions, but the thing that I love about Young here, is I've seen so many defensive ends, and I've been in this position, this tight end's been in a bunch of times.

too. And anyone, any coach is going to say the tight end's got his wrong foot up, like, no, change that foot and Chase Young knows. But watch just before the snap, the motion goes, but he looks out, he sees that tight end right there. He knows he's getting cracked. And he, he's sick. He's tackling the back, like the second he touches it. That tight end. The point is, the point is, the point had no chance. No chance. Like, someone's going to be like, he can't change your feet. That dude's like, yeah. We can't block him that way. And that's the thing about this guy.

When you have a guy that you have to say, we can't block him that way, you have a problem. Yeah. He will turn into a game wrecker. He already has a couple times this year. He is awesome. So if you, he's the best player on the field. Again.

He's a plus on this game. There we go. He was so much, he is so much fun for me to watch. Chase Young is the kind of player. Like, if I'm buying one jersey, buying a Chase Young jersey, he plays the game the right way for a guy that's capable of playing it at the highest level.

He's still, he's full motor, full bore. And watch the game, watch him on the sideline in the TV. Like he is into it the entire time. Oh, yeah. There was a fun NFL films clip.

Heineke. Talking about Heineke. Yeah, I played it this morning. God, it's just everything about he's a competitor. I don't know. I love Chey Chong. Yep. Yep.

Love him. I mean, look, the bottom line is everything we were hoping he would be in his rookie year, he's that and more. Yes. And maybe the best is yet to come on Sunday night and maybe in a playoff game where he just, totally takes it over. He will. He can. It's going to happen.

He's going to take it over. He's a he's going to have a year where he's got 15 plus sacks in the next three. What does he even have? I don't know. I've been keeping track of his sacks. I don't know. I'm giving him to play. He's just, yeah, he's awesome. Yeah. All right. A plus for him. Who's next?

Let's do Montez. Okay. There's a bull rush in this game in the third quarter. It's before his sack. that he he just walks the right tackle back into the quarterback ball ends up actually being complete

on the play I wrote he's long and then I wrote strong and then I had to stop and I started laughing to myself I was doing this at 445 in the morning and I wrote

he's bound to get the friction on he's bound to what get the friction on maybe got back I don't know I just I wrote long and then I wrote strong and then I

how do you not do that? How do you not do that? By the way, T-Jing six and a half sacks. So. Yeah. But it's so not reflective of the year he's had. He leads the team with

11 and a half TFL's tackles for loss. And how many forced fumble? He's got four forced fumbles on the year. What? two three in the last two games something like that i wonder how those baby back yeah i got back lyrics deron pain uh we're still with montez sweat that's what i'montes sweat uh the sack on the third

and eight is huge he punked 75 i think 75 is a utah state guy the third tackle that's not good No. Poor guy. Gosh, Sweat just made him his bitch. Look, not as much in terms of making plays. But again,

you watch Montes Sweat, and he has the ability to control the line of scrimmage, to control the edge. He plays with great hands. He plays with really good leverage for a tall guy. I had this stupid neutral zone infraction

early in the game that went from a first intent. He's had a couple of those. How many of those is? I was just going to say, He's had several. He's had too many of those. I don't know how many the team has actually had,

but they've probably had more than you want. Montes-Sweb was a B-plus. Okay, B-plus. John Allen. I thought he played his best game. I thought so. I mentioned that. I thought he was in the backfield consistently as I was watching the game.

I just thought he was awesome. man coming off a stunt with duran pain in the run game making a tackle swallowing guys up big time pressure on the fourth and four that duron pain had a sack on great pressure by jonathan allen uh can beat an offensive guard can split a double team has been great throughout the year was really great in this game rallying down the line of scrimmage to make plays like the second goal from the five that Reeves misses a tackle in the backfield and Jonathan Allen had that neck tackle. The same is a touchdown right there.

And then the very next play, the third and one, there's a little swim move on the goal line and fucking A just disrupts the entire thing. That's a shame, by the way, that they had the 12 men on the field penalty right there. Right. I think I figured that one out too. I went through that about 10 times. Oh, boy. The next play, so in the 12 men on the field, there's this dude, Jared Norris, where's number 50?

Like two plays in the game. I promise you, Jared Norris knows when he's in. Yeah, right. Do you got one package in your, he's like, go on, baby? Here we go. I'm in. Yeah. So the thing is, I'm watching the play, and him and Cam Curl are standing in the exact same spot.

And the ball stamp, they kind of look at each other. I'm like, damn, camera curl should come off. But you go to the very next play, and Reeves comes off the field. Curl stays on the field. They could have changed the defense. So I think the 12 men on the field, no. They're still in their goal right package. I think Jeremy Reeves should take the credit for that penalty.

My bet is Reeves was the 12th man on the field. That's pretty funny. Jared Norris only gets. How many snaps did he have in the game? Two. Yeah, so he's waiting for those two snaps. He cannot wait. patiently. He's waiting for whatever the...

He's actually the only guy on the field on the sideline that's like, I hope they get inside the four. Give me the defense how it would be called on goal line. Like, what's the call? I don't know. Six two stack monster. All right. Six two stack monster. He's just waiting and he's just, he's watching Del Rio. He's just, he's standing right near him.

He's just, and then he hears six two Jack Monster. And he's like, I'm in. Here we go. Let's go. There's no way. He did not hear it incorrectly. No. No.

He was ready for that one. Had to be Reeves. I thought Jonathan Allen was an A in this game. I thought he was really, really good in this game. Pain. Again, I don't think it's Alan per se a lot. It's Alan Young, Montez,

pain. They got to be better stop the run, but it's the linebacker group that I think struggles more than any. I just, this guy's make so many plays. Pain, God, he can split a double team, double, the sack he had on the fourth and four. He's getting double team. Swats one dude, swats another dude. He's battling back there. I continue to be impressed with his speed. I think his speed is, is really, really good and his ability to run down the line of scrimmage.

He, it's quicker than you give him credit for. He's, he's got so many, I, I called them in this game, get off me. Like, it just gets rid of dudes. Get off me. He's so strong, man. Just swats him away. Get, get off me on that fourth and the first drive of the game for Carolina. Yeah, swat, swat.

Get off me. Get off me. I've got to get to Teddy. It's fourth down. Can you get off me, please? And then boom, he's there, sack. And just barely pushes Bridgewater to the ground. By the way, I was not impressed with Bridgewater, and I'm a fan of Bridgewater.

But one of the things I mentioned in the pre-podcast on Saturday, the one thing I've noticed about Bridgewater, and I was watching some of the Vikings game that he played, and he actually played well for a while, is if you can get him off his first read, it's not like he doesn't know where to go, but he becomes a little fidgety and less accurate. And I think they did that to him a bunch. no there's definitely a couple plays that he missed throws that he had big opportunities on um there was a boot that he missed a throw i think to DJ Moore that probably was a sixer I'll get to that with carrigan um we'll actually pull that play up when we get to carrigan uh there's a couple

negatives with pain a couple of the scrambles he gets out of his lane definitely the fourth and two scramble. He trips a little bit and then and he kind of trips. He's on the left side of the line. He kind of stumbles a little bit and then he goes with his momentum right and Bridgewater just replaces in that gap and he gets the two-yard scramble Holcomb tackles him on a fourth and two that he got. You know, the one thing I would say is if he doesn't get out the ball, he can get behind blocks and he will live with it. Like Alan gets behind a block in his own run scheme and he fights his dick off to get back in front of that thing, even if he loses a yard or two yards. I think Alan understands if I play behind this, we're dead.

And there's a weakside zone play where he gets behind both, he's head up over the guard. The guard goes in front of him. The tackle then follows the guard and the tackle scoops him all the way up. And that's exactly where the run hits is right behind him. So there are one or two times where, you know, five, six yard plays hit right behind our lineman, but not a lot. Pain was a B in this game. Kerrigan was not a B

in this game. I'm not going to kill Ryan Carrigan. Okay? I'm just, I don't want to. Can I mention one thing about Carrigan that I have noticed? You know, the Bull Rush is basically his only move. It's always been his only move. He still looks strong to me.

He still... He is strong. really strong. But anyway, continue. So go to the first quarter on your all 22. And it's the second drive. So scroll through the second drive. Yeah.

And it's the second play of the second drive. It's the second and 10 at the Carolina 47 or a second nine. Got it. They have the keeper game. The tight end blocks Kerrigan. and then he just randomly sits there and drifts. He has no coverage responsibility here. Why isn't he just going after the quarterback then?

Go get the quarterback. Then watch this play from the end zone copy as you get to the back end. DJ Moore is going to score on this play. So Kerrigan gets blocked by the tight end. Go attack the quarterback now. He's drifting into space. I don't know what he's doing. Oh, my God.

If he had gotten it to DJ Moore, he would have scored. DJ Moore. on this what you'd call the down flat late is going to score this ball gets tipped which is huge i think bostic tips this he is scoring it's a weird play because robbie anderson busts on the play like if you see the end zone copy you're like where is robbie anderson going he has no idea what he's doing but because anderson has no idea what he's doing it ends up eating up reeves and dj more scoring you got to go get the quarterback kev you just you gotta go get the quarterback right there if you're Ryan Kerrigan

yeah I think it's okay did did Kerrigan get the tip no I think it's Bostic it's one of the two if he got the tip he saved it but I know but it's just right um yeah and he totally redeemed himself okay so the play that really bothered me with Kerrigan the most in this game is the 50-yard run by Samuel by Samuel so that 50-yard run came what in the second quarter something like that yeah so Ryan Kerrigan is on the edge they're running a a weak side zone play at Ryan Kerrigan the tackle comes out and doesn't totally swallow them up but is the back

or the receiver or whatever you want to call it, Samuel, who does everything, right, gets just to the edge of Ryan Kerrigan, he starts doing the stupid, I'm getting held thing. Right. Was he? And he's thrown his hands up instead of making, no, he's not getting held. That's the thing. He's not getting held right there.

But he starts doing that stupid throw your hands up thing. And you're like, go make the play, bro. He threw his hands up when the play was over too. He's like, hey, well, you missed it. Yeah, and then at the end of the place, throwing his hands up again, you're like, this is the equivalent to a flop in basketball. Yeah, this was not a hold, not even close. It's not even close to a hold.

I don't know what he's hoping for there. I don't know what he's thinking there. It's just dumb football. You can never, you can never, you can never, ever get out leveraged that way. It's got to be better than that. And that's the thing. That that play does not happen if Montez sweats in.

Right. No chance. Now, again, like Jeremy Reeves didn't need to get drugged for 27 yards. No. 27 yards down the field. That didn't have to happen either. Right.

Then a couple of other things, like there's a third and ten, they drop him. right two minute drill right before the end of the half they drop him he's way late to get out to the flat he can't catch the back and then he kind of just touches him with one hand and the back turns it up to the end you're like it's not one hand touch guy okay there's another there's another drop into coverage on a second seven in the third quarter why would del rio drop 91 into coverage we haven't we seen that in previous years and del Rio pretty much promised he wouldn't do that anymore I mean he did it a couple times in this game and he's not going to going to do it again. I'm going to tell you right now, and I mean this in all sincerity. If we're playing three-on-three, two-hand touch in your backyard in Leesburg, and Ryan Kerrigan is covering me, I'm going to get open. If you're quarterbacking, you will watch me give one little juke on the inside, and Kerrigan will be left standing there, and I'll be wide open on the outside, or I'll, you know, hit the hard foot on the outside and cut him off and break into the middle.

I can get open again. I can see, I can totally see you doing that. I can get open with my crossover stuff against Kerrigan. He looks, there's no one that has ever looked more awkward in coverage than 91. It is really, it's painful to watch. Like, he's, the funny thing about Kerrigan is, I do think he's an athlete. Like, you know, he anticipates well. How many times has he sniffed out screens and, you know, but oh, man, coverage, not good. All right, what was he?

Well, just one more thing. Go to the third quarter. It's that long drive. It's a second seven at the Carolina 44. There's 12 minutes and 22 seconds in the third quarter left. Yeah, I got it. Watch Ryan Kerrigan drop it into coverage here. Bridgewater drops back.

He's looking to his right. Kerrigan's on that side. There's two receivers breaking out, and Kerrigan is dropping to the middle of the field, covering this face directly in front of Cole Holcomb. Well, Cole was not an eligible receiver for Carolina. I'm watching this. Again, why?

How many times did he... He wasn't out there for a lot of snaps. How many times was he dropping in coverage? Why? I think just twice in coverage, but both times. or it's an exploitation of this defense. Then this is the thing. Like you're going to watch this tape as a team and just say, why?

Hey, uh, where are you going? Because there's nothing here to dictate that he should be going anywhere, but right where Bridgewater is looking. He's looking at Bridgewater as he drops into coverage, but he's going the opposite way that Bridgewater is looking. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

I'm not going to present a letter grade for Ryan Kerrigan. Oh, boy. That means for those just tuning in, that means it wasn't very good. It wasn't very good. Okay, what about Tim Sell? I think a couple of bad plays he wasn't in great position. Settle was not good. He was laid off the ball.

I played behind blocks. He was stumbles McGee in this game, two or three times, stumbling, falling down. They convert a third and one on the fourth drive that he's just straight pancake. run over him. He was an F in this game. Tim Settle has had three poor performances in a row, but was an F in this game. Let's move on to the linebackers. Right after this word from one of our sponsors.

The linebackers in the film breakdown. Thomas Davis is retiring at the end of this season, officially announced. He's been watching film of the season and said, I think I've had enough. He's retired. He didn't play in this game. He was inactive. He was inactive in this game. Michael Kendricks played some. Kaleek Hudson played some. But for the most part, we're going to talk about Bostick and Holcomb.

Bostick, there are times where he's getting better into coverage drops. Like early in the game, the fourth and four pain sack, it's a great matchup. It's a great zone drop right to the receiver who's in front of him. Like, thank you. You know, just up to the bubble. It's great. And depth on some of his zone drops are, is much better. his depth on some of his zone drops has gotten to be much better.

He had a tackle for loss, the Thomas Davis fumble. It was an instinctual blitz play to get the back in the backfield. That was so dumb that that wasn't a fumble. The negatives for Bostick. He had a defensive holding later in the game that was the one penalty he had. It was very obvious against the tight end. He was groping him. he doesn't take on blocks well especially downhill run at him you know the the downhill game

he just doesn't fit offensive linemen physically but he doesn't he doesn't use enough to evade so he struggles with that um tries to play behind blocks at times loses his avoid just isn't good enough uh got the fourth and one on the goal line. That's a weak, weak play there by Bostick. I mean, I'm not calling him soft by any means because I don't think he is, but that's his play to make right there.

He's got to make that play. He's got to hit that back, right in the chest and make that play. That's the only chance on that play. It was blocked well enough. It was played very well up front. I mean, it was blocked for one. He got one, but Bostick's got to make that play. There's a quarterback

scramble that the on the fumble the teddy fumble that they got that bostick sees that teddy's committed to scrambling and bostick sits there and waits for him it's a third and seven as soon as he commits to scramble you've got to close the space it's bridgewater's not going to juke you out of your socks man yeah and then again as i said better in coverage he's still slow to squeeze some of the sit-down routes that are around him he's still unsure Like, do I want to squeeze this one hard? And I get it, but he's a little bit slow to squeeze some of these things. Bostick was a C-minus in this game.

Cole Holcomb, I thought, was very good. You know, early in the game, he's beat across his face on a great double-stick route by, I think, Samuel. And it's not the best matchup you want. But, God, that was a good stick route in this game. Things I love about Holcomb. he he is really physical with offensive lineman like his gap fits there's there's a point where he bows the center's neck back and then he's in on the tackle right he hits it downhill he's quick but he is he packs a punch man uh he's disruptive in his own fits he's disruptive in the gaps

he's a great block shed guy um he can avoid but he he gets on Offa blocks. He eats, it's like a butt and press and shed. He's really good with that. I had the sack in this game. He beat the running back. That was big time. I like Holcomb.

I do. One negative play that I got to at the end of the game, they threw a seam route to Samuel out of the backfield. He guesses. He thinks Samuel's going to go flat and he buzzes hard to the flat and Samuel ducks right inside of him, goes up the seam. Samuel's coming from the running back spot. I like four verts with the running back.

that's a big Andy Reid thing with the running back becoming one of the verticals. It creates good distribution, but he guesses on that one and you give up the seam down the middle of the field. I thought Holcomb was a B-plus in this game. I think Holcomb is going to be a very good player. I do. I think Holcomb's a good linebacker. I'm surprised I'd be interested if he wouldn't become the Luke Keeckley. I don't quite understand why he's not playing.

Why he's not the Mike. I think he should be the Mike. I think he should be the middle linebacker. Okay. That's their decision. Cam Curl. I like Cam Carroll and run game a lot. His gap fits are ASAP.

You know, he had a couple. We had one early that Thomas Davis just straight ran him over. Thomas Davis, a good back. Or, um, not Thomas. Davis. Not Mike Davis. Right. Who?

Oh, Mike Davis, the running back. Yeah. Yeah. He's a physical back. I told you that. He was the guy signed. He's got no run in Seattle. Seattle had McKissick, had Davis.

They've had some good backs that don't do a whole lot there that end up having pretty good careers. Great tackle on an RPO later in the game. He did have a missed tackle on the touchdown on the third and seven, on the touchdown on the third and seven on Robbie Anderson. Coming down, he missed that tackle. End up scoring there. I had the punch out fumble that wasn't a fumble that was ridiculous,

but that's a nice little punchout. The long run by Samuel, that's a shitty angle by Curl initially to get to that from the backside. He ends up helping make the tackle 40 yards down field after he's getting tackled. He missed an arm tackle a line of scrimmage, but he's in there with a really good fits. I'm liking him more and more in coverage. I think he has the ability to cover from the safety position. And I think he has the ability to place a man-to-man stuff. Curl was a B-minus in this game.

Well, remember, he was a slot corner early in the season. I do remember. I do. And he struggled in coverage as a slot corner. Jeremy Reeves. Oh, boy. Not going to be good. No, it wasn't.

I want you to pull up a play. I have a question for you. This was the first play. This is not a true impact on Jeremy Reeves. But it's a second six on the first drive. on the it's at the 35 yard line incomplete to Robbie Anderson and I think yeah incomplete to Rob short left to Robbie Anderson they are playing cover two on this play they are yeah and I noted between curl and Reeves they do a good job of holding the

shell initially making it look like cover three oh yeah it looks like cover three initially it looks like cover three initially and then they're going to play cover two or they're going to play or it's quarter quarter halves that said reeves is a two safety and he is on the hash with two wide receivers out of him which is risky tell me that if this ball goes vertical that reeves can get outside to the outside receiver okay um if they run an out with the inside receiver and then the outside receiver runs a go I just want you to tell me if you think Reeves can get there. Hold on.

I mean, maybe they're playing quarters across the board and Fuller just sees this. I could be wrong. It could just be straight quarters. I can't tell. Honestly, I can't tell. I mean, if you're saying, can he turn and run with the guy that goes deep and catch him? Up the sideline? Yeah, I don't know.

Maybe they're just playing quarters here. I just had a question with you. It would have been worth the shot for Bridgewater. I don't know why Bridgewater threw to Anderson there. He wasn't pressured. Well, I think he throws, maybe it is quarters, but I think he throws to Anderson because he likes the matchup with Cleek Hudson,

but Anderson runs a bad little route. Reeves can't tackle 27 yards after contact on the Samuel run. He can't actually tackle, but on that play, he couldn't tackle. Right. I mean, 27 yards after contact. I was, I'd be fat. fascinated to see if curl doesn't get there, if Reeves actually gets him down. He had a mistackle opportunity.

He had an opportunity for a tackle for loss, a second goal at the five-yard line. Completely clean, unblocked. Allen saves him on the play, but that second five at the goal line hit a mistackle right there. The third and 16, he's just, he's the single-eye safety. what are we doing here? You know, you can't give up third and 16 vertical down the middle of the field. That the route shouldn't even have been thrown. That should have been, he should have turned that down by leverage.

I just don't understand what he's playing. Like if he just stays head up over the inside receiver, Bridger's going to throw a dig. That route should never be thrown in cover three or with what you'd consider the middle of the field closed, one safety in the clear in the middle of the field. It should never be thrown. he had a good scoop and score opportunity though he did it didn't count reese was a d okay

the dbs uh the corners uh yeah go ahead fuller i thought the by the way i i gave fuller and darby high marks in this game on my monday recap uh so i'm very curious to see what you thought go ahead so the positives what do you have four tackles at the line of scrimmage on those screen place. He had three for sure. He's great against that. He really is. He is great again. He is really good. He reads it quickly and he never

misses tackles on those plays. No. Especially when they're playing, which they were a lot as a cover two corner. They did play a lot of cover two. They're playing him as a cover two corner. He ain't missing that tackle. He's good at that. Did have the big play on the third down in the fourth quarter where he did a good job

of reading eyes on that inside go route to DJ Moore. I think I asked you what we should call that route. And I decided today it's an inside go, so I called it an Iggy. It go. You go. You go. I go.

Whatever. I go. No. It's too close to go. Okay. The negatives. I gave up the first play of the game. He's got there's an eight-yard hit.

He's off coverage. Almost all the negatives with Kendall Fuller come from off-coverage. this season or him dropping as an inverted two player. He gave up a hook route, same kind of thing. The old button hook in the two-minute drill, early in the two-minute drill. The next play after that, they run a double move and he gets beat and Bridgewater overthrows it. That's a sixer. That's a sixer, which in it.

That game would have been 27 to 3. it's an overthrow in that two-minute drill right before the half I think I'm looking at the play right now I see Fuller Fulmer's on the outside no not the play I'm thinking about okay I'll find the exact play if you want the deep shot to DJ Moore yeah I think so

oh he did get beat you're right he got beat he got beat he got waxed shit his pants on the double move it's a good route DJ Moore can play and he had just and he had just given up a hook the play before it's it's a really you know if you're coaching young players and you want to run double moves DJ Moore does what I would coach he gains ground on the outbreak so his outbreak carries him upfield like a lot of guys on the outbreak will break it flat out But you can't, it's so hard to break, go 10 yards, go flat out for three steps and then keep speed to get back up the field. If you roll the out, upfield, it entices the DB or the backer, whoever it is, to undercut you. You look like you're running a bad out route and roll it, but you're gaining ground. Then it's an angle where you can turn up field better.

It's a really good route by DJ Moore. But my God, thank you, Teddy, for overthrowing that for that. the game would have been over at that point. 27-3, the game's over. There's no doubt about it. Yeah, a couple of bad plays. I thought Fuller was a B, though, in this game. Darby.

Dude, how many big plays did he make with past breakups? A lot. Third and 10 on a dig route, which I decided, again, is called a dig because it's a deep in, and you put the I, D and I together. I don't know why I didn't come up with that earlier. D-I. I'm happy. Deep in.

Yeah. I really think through these things. But, you know, great transition out of his back pedal. Like the third and nine on the second drive, great transition out of his back pedal to break that thing up. He's getting better and better of that this season goes on. It's getting better at breaking in, like the third and ten on the deep in route. Man, turn and run, get his hand in front is huge.

Had another pass break up at the end of the half on another deep in route. It is a heck of a job. Later in the game, there's a double move. run by DJ Moore that he basically runs it for him. Right. And it's awesome. I mean, the negatives, he had a bad mistackle on that long run by Samuel,

like fell down. Right. Juked out of his shorts there. Yeah. Well, that was at the line of scrimmage. When we're talking about the negatives from a DB being one miss tackle on the edge, but covering his balls off, I'm fine with that.

The other thing I saw from Darby, I wrote this down, I think he's getting, I think he's the best communicator pre and post snap. You can see him seeing things. You can see him pointing out things, dictating what he's doing, what everybody's got going on. I think he's communications really, really good. Darby was an A. Morland, and we'll wrap it. Yep, we'll finish with Morland. And I have one question for you right after this word from one of our sponsors.

Ice in this game, he's, they have two receivers to his side. He's a zone player. He's lined up inside the receiver, but he's a flat player. And he's given way too much to easy outbreaks. They're like just, gosh, man, you're hanging way too far inside. Like, you've given up these easy out routes. Did it twice in this game. Let Anderson break on the ball on an in route on a deep in route. It should have been a pick just sat there. Like he's in the throwing lane. The fact that Bridgewater threw that is insanity. the one that we talked about this where Anderson just took it from him right all he's got to do is what play was that where was that play do you remember I want to look at it right that play down okay

well then don't worry about it I thought that was such a great play by Anderson about really it was an it was an outstanding play by Anderson to go to go get the ball you know it's like you know you come meet the ball you don't wait for the ball to come to you it's a it's a it's a very simple basketball concept about, you know, receiving a bounce pass or a chest pass. You don't wait for it. You meet it. Run through the ball. Yeah. And if Jimmy Morland runs through the ball even a little bit, this is a pick.

Right. It's probably a pick six. He's going to be really frustrated with that one. Had the force fumble on Teddy Bridgewater. Yep. He did. Which was big. His zone drops to depth. are better, you know.

The third nine that Darby, was it the one Darby broke up that he looked like Morland picked that it did that did hit the ground. I watched it a bunch of times on the TV copy this morning. Told you. It's good zone depth though. They're all getting a better feel for their spots

and drops. They did have a couple of misassignments in the back end. Morland was a C-minus in this game. I just, I think this defense is really starting to understand what they're trying to accomplish and trying to do. And we've talked about this over and over and so we don't need to belabor it, but they just, they're lacking talent at a couple of key positions to be elite, to be the best defense in the league. They can get that

talent, though. You know, they can acquire guys that you get one middle linebacker. It'll change one more, one more dynamic linebacker. And you'll change things a ton, man. And if you had a playmaking single high safety, that's the other thing. You need a guy in the middle of the field that can make plays. You get a guy in the middle of the field. Like you're two middle players. You're free safety and your middle linebacker become playmakers. This is a devastating defense.

Did Michael Kendrick show anything in his nine snaps? Oh, he played eight snaps. Yeah, he looks like he knows what's going on. I didn't say, I didn't grade Hudson either. I thought Hudson was a D. I do like Hudson's toughness. I like his speed, but he is not capable of playing in the box with offensive linemen, not at this point.

Kendrix understands what he's doing. Kendrix was a very good player. He's better than Thomas Davis. That's for sure. Well, he'll be up and well, KPL wasn't up. So that was part of the reason. All right. The last question, and then we'll end the show for the day.

And that is, I mentioned to you when we were talking about and we were debating how well the defense had played, I sort of had this sense that Carolina with a 20 to 3 and then a 20 to 6 lead wasn't nearly as aggressive as they were in the first half. And maybe that contributed to the better results in the second half. True or not? True and not. I think until the drive, until their last actual drive,

I think that they were trying to make plays. But that last drive, they ran it three straight times, up 20 to six. They ran it on third and 12. Right. At that point, they were saying they may as well on third and 12 of taking a knee. They ran it a lot on that opening eight-minute drive before they, you know, they ran the ball a lot. I don't, I don't know. But most of their, I mean, it was interesting.

The long drive that they scored on with Samuel, they ran every play, right? Right. And then they tried to run it on the next drive they scored on, but they ended up converting on a third and 16 down the field and then a third and seven. So that drive ends up scoring through the air. I mean, they still had a couple, you know, that long drive to start the third quarter, they were moving it. Yeah. I think that's the thing.

I think when you look at this defense, you can play Ben don't break in the back end because at some point guys like sweat and Allen and Payne and I, and I just, I always say that with Alan and Payne. He's not there. And Chase Young are going to make a play. Like, you have enough guys. You can play bend but don't break, that you're going to make a play. Yeah.

They are. They're a good defense. All right. I'm off tomorrow and Friday. Happy New Year to everybody. Thank you, by the way, to everybody for listening to this podcast. It's really appreciated. You have no idea how much I appreciate it, and Chris appreciates it.

Yeah, we love it. So I wish everybody a happy new year. I'm going to be back Saturday with a preview and a pick like I did last week with or without Cooley. If you want to join me, you can. But we have a season-ending game, which is a winner-go-home game. We've not had that in a long, long time. 2016 was winner-go-home against the Giants, and it was a disaster. 2012 was winner-go-home, and it turned out to be really, really good.

So it's exciting a Sunday night to play the Eagles. By the way, Fletcher Cox, more like that. than not is out. I really like our chances on Sunday night, and I don't even know who the quarterback is right now. I just feel good about it. It's Alex. But I'll come in here on Saturday morning and do a preview, you know, quick preview with a pick. Are you going to be around or not? Yeah, I will. I will definitely be around. Okay, so we'll do that, and it'll be short and sweet. I'll give out the smell test on Saturday as well. But next two days off, happy New Year, everybody. By the way, Coley, somebody sent me a little local press for you in the family.

Oh, the Pal Tribune. We made it into the old Pal Tribune. The Pal Tribune with a story on the Coolies returning home. I didn't read the whole thing because somebody just sent it to me on Twitter before the show started, but I can't wait to get that read in tonight. I haven't read it yet. It came out yesterday. Happy New Year, everybody, back on Saturday. We'll put something out Saturday. We'll put something out mid-morning that you can consume all day Saturday, Saturday night, Sunday, Sunday during the day before the game because the game's not until Sunday night, but we'll have everything about the Eagles game then.